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55
During the year the Thames Conservancy called the attention of your
Worshipful Committee to the discharge into the River of slop water from the
Hospital at Denton.
All fascal excrement from patients at the Hospital is burned. That from
the household is buried in the garden, so that only laundry water and slop
water was allowed to pass into the Thames.
With a view to doing all that was required, your Committee sanctioned the
construction of two bacteria beds. These were constructed by the City
Surveyor after consulting with Mr. Dibden.
The question of dealing with this waste water is not an easy one. It must
either be discharged on to the land, pass through some form of filter
bed, or discharge direct into the River.
The land, on which the hospital is erected, being below the level of highwater
mark, is, during the Winter, generally in a waterlogged condition.
This has been especially the case during the past wet season.
It is obvious, therefore, that this method of disposal could not be approved.
The action of a filter bed consists in the breaking up of any organic matter
which may be contained in the fluids, and the conversion thereof into harmless
soluble nitrates.
This is done through the agency of certain forms of bacteria.
In dealing with infectious diseases, the use of a certain quantity of disinfectants
is unavoidable, and it will be easily understood that the liquid going
into the bacteria beds contains a certain proportion of disinfectant, which, if it
does not destroy some of the bacteria, yet it is antagonistic to their growth
and development, and, as a consequence, the beds are no longer working with
the same degree of satisfaction.
It will probably be necessary during the coming year to renew the coke
breeze as the beds show signs of failing in their action.
New Block.
The number of patients treated in the Hospital has been more than in any
previous year.
The new Block answers its purpose admirably, and has relieved your
Medical Officer there of much anxiety in isolating the different forms of
infectious disease.